Revelation 3:17

“Because thou sayest, I am rich, etc.] In worldly goods, which occasioned her lukewarmness, as riches often do, and her vanity, pride, and arrogance, afterwards expressed. Laodicea was a very rich city, and so will be this church state, through the accession of kings and princes, and great men of the earth unto it, in the former period: riches seldom do any good to the churches of Christ, they did not in Constantine's time; and it seems that even at the close of the spiritual reign of Christ they will be of bad consequence, since they will usher in the Laodicean church state: or her meaning is, that she was rich in spiritual things; not in grace, but in external gifts, which still remained,…”

“Self-sufficiency is the fatal danger of a lukewarm state (see on Rev 3:15). thou sayest--virtually and mentally, if not in so many words. increased with goods--Greek, "have become enriched," implying self-praise in self-acquired riches. The Lord alludes to Hos 12:8. The riches on which they prided themselves were spiritual riches; though, doubtless, their spiritual self-sufficiency ("I have need of nothing") was much fostered by their worldly wealth; as, on the other hand, poverty of spirit is fostered by poverty in respect to worldly riches. knowest not that thou--in particular above all others. The "THOU" in the Greek is emphatic. art wretched--Greek, "art the wretched one." miserable--So…”

“Because thou sayest, I am rich - So far as the language here is concerned, this may refer either to riches literally, or to spiritual riches; that is, to a boast of having religion enough. Prof. Stuart supposes that it refers to the former, and so do Wetstein, Vitringa, and others. Doddridge, Rosenmuller, and others, understand it in the latter sense. There is no doubt that there was much wealth in Laodicea, and that, as a people, they prided themselves on their riches. See the authorities in Wetstein on Colossians 2:1, and Vitringa, p. 160. It is not easy to determine which is the true sense; but may it not have been that there was an allusion to both, and that, in every respect, they…”

“Because thou sayest - Therefore "I counsel thee," &c. I am rich - In gifts and grace, as well as worldly goods. And knowest not that thou art - In God's account, wretched and pitiable. Revelation 3:18”

“3:17 Although Christians in Laodicea felt prosperous and self-sufficient (see study note on 3:14), Jesus accurately saw their wretched and miserable and poor spiritual condition.”

“I am: Rev 2:9; Pro 13:7; Hos 12:8; Zac 11:5; Luk 1:53, Luk 6:24, Luk 18:11, Luk 18:12; Rom 11:20, Rom 11:25; Rom 12:3; Co1 4:8-10 have need: Deu 8:12-14; Pro 30:9; Jer 2:31; Mat 9:12 knowest: Rom 2:17-23 wretched: Mat 5:3; Rom 7:24 blind: Isa 42:19; Joh 9:40, Joh 9:41; Pe2 1:9 naked: Rev 16:15; Gen 3:7, Gen 3:10, Gen 3:11; Exo 32:35 Revelation 3:18”